– Birmingham reggae institution Jam Jah Sound marks a quarter-century of live soundsystem culture with a special December 2026 event
– Jam Jah Mondays has ran regularly in the UK city since 2001, amassing 1,200 sessions, with it believed to be the longest standing weekly reggae event
– Established reggae artists, including Cheshire Cat, Errol Dunkley, and Susan Cadogan, have performed with Jam Jah over two and half decades
– An all-star cast of UK reggae artists will join the extended Jam Jah family for a one-off celebration of the soundsystem’s 25 years in music
JAM JAH SOUND – 25TH ANNIVERSARY
2100 – 0300 Saturday 5 December 2026
The Drop Inn, Digbeth Birmingham
Advance tickets: from £15 plus booking fee available via http://bit.ly/JamJah25
jamjahsound.com | friendlyfiremusic.com
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Jam Jah Sound, an acclaimed UK soundsystem based in Birmingham, will celebrate 25 years and more than 1,200 live weekly sessions since its launch in Birmingham in 2001.
Jam Jah Mondays has run regularly in the UK city since the start of the millennium, making it the longest standing weekly reggae gathering in the UK.
The soundsystem division of Birmingham-based collective Friendly Fire Music – which also comprises a label, studio and band – Jam Jah Sound will mark a quarter-century with a major celebratory event on Saturday 5 December 2026.
An all-star lineup of international and UK reggae artists along with the extended Jam Jah family are set to join fans, supporters, and members of the global reggae community for an anniversary special at The Drop Inn in the city’s creative quarter of Digbeth.
From humble beginnings in a Moseley, South Birmingham pub back in 2001, Jam Jah Sound has grown into one of the UK’s best-loved reggae institutions.
The collective project has appeared at venues and festivals across the country while staying true to the original soundsystem format: live artists, heavyweight selections, exclusive productions, remixes, and live percussion.
Members of the soundsystem also form the core of the Friendly Fire Band, whose original track ‘It’s a Brum Ting’ was selected by the BBC as theme music for its national and international coverage of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Through venue changes, shifting nightlife trends, and generations of regulars, the Jam Jah Mondays weekly sessions have remained a constant fixture of Birmingham’s music landscape.
Remarkably, Jam Jah Mondays has remained free to attend throughout its 25-year history.
With well over a thousand sessions behind it, the weekly gathering continues every Monday at community pub and venue The Station in the South Birmingham suburb of Kings Heath, bringing together people from all backgrounds through reggae music and soundsystem culture.
Robin Giorno, aka Robbie Don from Jam Jah Sound said: “Reggae and soundsystem culture has always been about timeless music and unity, as is Jam Jah.
“For 25 years we’ve been gathering weekly, building and strengthening our community, generation after generation.
“The music, the friendships and the feeling that we’re still bringing people of all ages and walks of life together, and doing our little bit for world peace keeps us going.”
Over the last 25 years since Jam Jah’s inception, there have been seismic shifts in the global and regional music industries, including the genre’s ascent to one of the most popular and commercially successful musical cultures worldwide – whilst retaining its core values.
To mark their quarter-century of music, community and culture, Jam Jah Sound has assembled a lineup of artists who have been part of the collective journey over the years.
The 25th anniversary show will feature foundational Jamaican artists including Earl Sixteen (Studio One, Leftfield, Dreadzone), and veteran recording artist Little Roy, alongside the cream of UK talent including Mr Williamz (Ignition High Power, Raggamuffin Rootz), YT (Sativa Records), Solo Banton (Reality Shock Records, Mungo’s Hifi, Boomtown), Cheshire Cat (Letifield, Luv Injection), and lovers rock legend Peter Spence.
Grassroots Birmingham artists K Dottie and Lion Art Qedemawi will appear alongside the full Jam Jah Sound crew: Bongo Damo, Robbie Don, Myki Tuff, DJ Dunk, Heala, and Keyah.
Recognising the milestone, influential Grammy-nominated UK reggae recording artist Tippa Irie said: “I have had the pleasure of working with Jam Jah many times as well as with the Friendly Fire Band. They have become one of the cornerstones for Reggae music in Birmingham and are an integral part of preserving reggae music in the community.”
Fittingly, the 25th celebration returns to Digbeth, a neighbourhood that has hosted countless Jam Jah sessions over the years, taking over The Drop Inn, with food served throughout the night, and merchandise including vinyl, T-shirts, CDs and more on offer.
Jam Jah Sound: 25th Anniversary takes place at The Drop Inn, Digbeth Birmingham on Saturday 5 December 2026. Tickets, from £15 plus booking fee are available from http://bit.ly/JamJah25
For more information, visit the official Jam Jah Sound website.